Subway and Bus Followed... 'Ddarungi' Fare Also Doubled

Elimination of 2-Hour Pass and Reduction of Subscription Types
Expected to Be Implemented as Early as May Next Year

A citizen is using a Ddareungi bike at the Sejongno intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Following the subway and bus fare increases, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is considering raising the usage fees for the public bicycle service 'Ddarungi.' This would be the first fare increase since the service launched in 2015.

The city announced on the 29th that it is reviewing plans to raise Ddarungi fees next year. Currently, Ddarungi passes are divided into five main types: 1-day, 7-day, 30-day, 180-day, and 365-day passes. Each pass is further categorized into 1-hour and 2-hour usage options. Ddarungi users can freely rent and return bicycles within the time limit of the purchased pass. For example, a user who buys a 1-day 1-hour pass can ride for 30 minutes, return the bike, and then use it again for another 30 minutes. Currently, the 1-day 1-hour pass costs 1,000 KRW, and the 2-hour pass costs 2,000 KRW.

The city is primarily considering raising the price of the 1-day 1-hour pass to 2,000 KRW and reducing the pass types to three: 1-day, 3-day, and 180-day passes. The expected prices are 5,000 KRW for the 3-day pass and 35,000 KRW for the 180-day pass.

Additionally, the city plans to eliminate the 2-hour daily pass, standardizing all passes to 1-hour usage, and is also considering introducing a single-use pass sold for 1,000 KRW. The single-use pass allows users to ride Ddarungi for 1 hour, but unlike the current 1-day 1-hour pass, the pass expires once the bike is returned. The city expects the fare increase and pass restructuring to take effect around May next year.

Ddarungi has recorded annual deficits of around 10 billion KRW. The deficits have steadily increased each year: 9 billion KRW in 2019, 9.9 billion KRW in 2020, and 10.3 billion KRW in 2021. To improve profitability, the city issued bids for advertising operators in September and October to attract corporate advertisements, but all bids failed due to lack of participation.

The city had previously announced plans to raise the basic fares for Seoul’s subway and bus services next year. With the news of the Ddarungi fare increase added to this, citizens are expressing disappointment and frustration. Park (29), an office worker who frequently used a Ddarungi subscription pass, said, "I often used Ddarungi for distances that are too far to walk but too close for the bus or subway. Although I understand the deficit situation, the news of the fare increase is not welcome," adding, "It really feels like everything except my salary is going up."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.